The two-time legislator and former liberationist Carlos Ricardo Benavides is the new president of the Legislative Assembly. He was elected on May 1st with a large advantage over his opponent, the Christian Social Erwen Masis.
Benavides, 49, is a lawyer specialized in Public Law, a consultant in the field of Tourism and Sustainable Development. He is also a businessman in the gastronomy sector. But he is more recognized for his role in the recent political life in Costa Rica.
Carlos Ricardo Benavides was elected by former presidential candidate Antonio Álvarez Desanti as the candidate for the first place in San José, prior to the 2018 elections. This was expected, since Benavides was one of his closest collaborators during the pre-campaign.
He worked as a legislator from 2002 to 2006 and during this period he held the leadership of his faction in 2005. Later, he served as Minister of Tourism and was Minister of the Presidency from 2011 to 2014, during the administration of Laura Chinchilla Miranda.
From 2008 to 2010 he also served as president of the Executive Committee of the World Tourism Organization (WTO).
One of his most recent and controversial bills aims to regulate strikes in the country, on issues such as money back for hours not worked, replenishment of the day and the establishment of essential services, which could affect a union movement. The project is still under discussion.